Aspen Bluebells

A number of species of Mertensia are abundant throughout the blooming season in the Four Corners area and southern Nevada. At lower elevations, Mertensia appear in April; in the San Juans and nearby mountain ranges, Mertensia appear as short plants in open meadows and woods in the spring, tall plants along streams at higher elevations in the summer, and dwarf plants above timberline. On any plant, flower color of the dainty, drooping bells often varies from purples and blues to very light pinks depending on how long the flowers have been open. The most prominent display of Mertensia is along mountain streams where some species of Mertensia, especially Mertensia ciliata, form large, dense colonies with thousands of sweetly scented flowers. Despite its species name, mertensia arizonica is most abundant in Utah; in Arizona it occurs only in the far north, in Coconino county.